So, I started Marva on a cold Sunday morning in the beginning of January. The first week, we all got our uniforms and got situated in our base in Sde Boker- about an hour away from both Arad and Beer Sheva. We got oriented, then started to have classes about guns- because then on Wednsday, we went on what is called a Masa- journey of about 3 Kilometers, after which we had a ceremony where we got our M16's. At first, we all hated our guns- they are big (the boys bigger, cause the girls got shortened M16s), and we have to carry them everywhere, including the bathroom and the shower- and you have to sleep with it under your mattress. Sitting in class with a gun on your lap is not the most comfortable thing in the world... But we did get to go to the shooting range and shoot real M16s (not our own, since ours are plugged with cement and have the wrong firing pin)- but that was cool. The best thing about the first week is that no one got punished- they just told you that you should get punished- and then we had our first Shabbat on base, which was a very interesting and enjoyable- the longest break we had gotten in a week, because we only get an hour break every day before we go to sleep, and to have a chance to take a nap was wonderful. That night, i had kitchen duty, which meant I had ot wash all the dishes that got ditry on shabbat.. which was alot, and the whole job took 5 hours... ugh.
The next week was a tough but worthwhile one. We walked a few kilometers to a campground closeby, and set up camp for a week in the feild. We slept in 2 person tents, ate o the ground, and had no shower or bathroom for the entire week, but it was really fun in teh end. Each day we had classes about what soldiers do in the field- by actually doing i- the running, crawling, and dropping to the floor, as well as a weapons class on how to shoot our guns in the field- without bullets of course. It was physically challenging, as well as being really difficult in the mornings and at night, as it was extremely cold, but we got by with the hot tea they gave us at night and in the morning. The food was also pretty unpleasant- tuna every day, but we had to share 3 people per each can of tuna. The best parts were the competition between tzevets (groups of 16 people)- and the last night when we were able to put all of our newly acquired knowledgeto use: all the kids ad a mission to try to steal a glowstick that one of the higher commanders had, and all the other commanders were helping her guard it at the top of a mountain- if they saw you, they sent you back to the bottom of the mountain, and it was really hard to sneak up there, but in the end one boy jumped out of nowhere and grabbed the glowstick in midair. It was really cool, brecause right afterwards, everyone started cheering and stood up, and about 50 kids were within 10 feet of the glowstick without the commanders knowing.
Then we had a weekend off, where I went with Shalem on a shabbat byachad in a kibbutz near Jerusalem, which was nice, but mostly I just caught up on sleep and food and did laundry :)
The next week we spent up north in a base where new immigrants who need to learn Hebrew go, and we toured around the north that week. It was really rainy every day, and cold, but I had fun, although we spent alot of time on busses that week. We spent shabbat on base again that weekend, which we all needed.
The fourth week we spent back on base, and learned about navigation in the field. We split up into small groups and actually plotted a course that we used a compass and maps to follow the next day. It was cool to ba able to plot our own way through the desert.
That weekend we got off on thursday and got to go home till sunday. I just stayed in Arad, and hung out with people as well as got laundry done, and slept alot :) yum
The fifth week of Marva was supposed to be sports week, but the place we were supposed to go to for that week was closed or something, and for that reason, we had a few random activities throughout the week.
We had talks about aliyah on sunday in Jerusalem, pretty intense, and then on monday we went to this base meant for kids deciding what they want to do in the army before they join, so we learned about the differents parts of the army. We also learned all about Ben Gurion, and visited his home, as well as going to visit the Air Force museum and base on a different day. On Friday, however, we got to see a show that a few kids from each group put on as a suprise making fun of everything and everyone- which everyone really enjoyed before having our shabbat on base.
That weekend was really rainy, so we couldn't sleep outside in the tents we usually do, we slept inside some of the classrooms. But in the end it didn't bother us because we left Sunday morning to go to a Golani base in the north.
The week we spent in the Golani base in the north was really cool, because we got to talk to actual combat soldiers about how the army is for them. Also, we got to go through the obstacle course that the combat soldiers have to pass during basic training, including jumping over a wall, monkey bars, climbing up a rope, and crawling and such. It was really hard but it was really cool to be able to try it out. Also, we were all able to shoot a Tovourg and an M4 on the shooting range, which was pretty cool.
Nw, I'm on my free weekend- the last one before Marva ends- Next week we're gonna be in Jerusalem, and the last week is back in Sde Boker, but it will be just a wrap up of the course and then we have our closing ceremonies..
So far, I've enjoyed Marva, and I feel like I am definitely experiencing Israel in a new way, but at the same time, waking up at 5:30 every day isn't muy cup of tea, so i'll be somewhat relieved whten its over.
That's it for now, but I'll for sure blog again in 2 weeks to give more in depth info on Marva that I dodn't get a chance to give now..
Love you all and I know I suck at keeping in touch, especially when I'm stuck on an army base with no internet connection...
peace and love
<3>
:)
